8/3/2015

Everything was great from the server, Wes, to the complimentary chips and pickles, St. Louis ribs, potato salad, coleslaw, salads, and the drinks. Wish we had room for dessert saw the carrot cake and the table next to us it was huge.
Some of the best bbq I've ever had if not the very best.
Yum!

8/4/2015

Arrived to a charming building with great decor. Was seated quickly. Staff was excellent. Served BBQ chips and sweet pickles, both very good. My wait person suggested this burger made of beef and pulled pork, topped with pork belly bacon and brisket on a brioche bun. Sounded good and ordered it with a side of Mac and cheese . Burger was a tad dry but tasty, and it was immediately enhanced with a side of spicy BBQ sauce. The Mac and cheese was a little dry, but it came out hot on a skillet.  Ordered an Arnold Palmer to drink but didn't realize I was being charged for each refill. Staff may want to divulge this detail before someone has 4 refills (I'm a big drinker, no judgments). Lol.  The wait person did apologize for not disclosing.

All in all, a decent experience.  I wouldn't order the burger again and would likely try the pulled pork and ribs if I come back.

8/1/2015

Chicago Q has one of the largest lunch portions I've ever had! They start you off with pickles and chips (and if you love salt, you'll love the chips!).

I ordered the lunch brisket which came with a few slices of brisket, a side of mashed potatoes and a side salad. For someone watching their weight, their salad was a decent serving and the house balsamic tasted pretty light. BUT I'd still suggest ordering it on the side. The brisket was juicy but I'm still a huge fan of Smoque so I was a bit let down on this one. It wasn't bad by any means, but if you want the best brisket, I'd suggest taking the trek up north. The mashed potatoes were a generous serving so there was enough to take home and eat the next day.

It's worth a try if you like barbecue.

8/13/2015

Arrived for a dinner reservation on a Wednesday night and got seated immediately even though my friend was running a bit late. As soon as I got seated, the waiters brought the water and the complimentary chips and pickles. The chips are amazing; my friend and I couldn't stop eating them. We ordered the alligator sausage as an appetizer and it was delicious-very juicy and the mashed potatoes and vegetables added a lot of different flavors and textures. My friend and I both ordered the St. Louis ribs. Personally I thought it was a little dry which was a bummer. The sauces also didn't match my taste for some reason. The service was amazing and I really wanted to try some dessert but just didn't have any room left.

6/4/2015

Honest review: saw it on check please. i was really skeptical but it was great. I always thought hog wild was the best but this beats it.

Free barbecue chips: from my experience of chips there either really old and stale to thin and burned or really bland and greasy. But these were heavenly really crunchy really fresh perfect seasoning not to much of a barbecuey taste( i mean like sometimes the barbecue flavor could be really over whelming) and not greasy! Best chips i ever had sorry lays make sure u eat with the pickles for the perfect bite.

Free pickles: i usually dont like pickles because their never fresh or have way to much pickling spice on it so its to sour or to overpowered these were perfect. A lil bit of vinegar and some good sweetness really was delicious i was so surprised. Its not like really sweet like dessert just the right amount

Blackened alligator: dont be scared of tasting new things if u like chicken then youll love this but with more of a chicken flavor. It comes with a pancake on the bottom didnt see a point to it lol would have preffered something else maybe grittz. The sauce is really good its a roasted garlic aioli and its not mayonnaise from a jar like a lot of people do this was homemade it was delicous really enhanced the taste of the alligator. It comes with lemon which cuts down the richness of the dish. The alligator itself had a really good flavor to it not to over powered by the blacking spice and not to dry it was really tender a really great dish live a little and try something different

Hush puppies: these were really good supper crispy not burned or greasy seasoned perfectly. The inside was a little dry though. It had bacon wish it had a little more though. Didnt notice any cheddar in it?The sauce was to die for it was so good best aioli i ever had so rich u will not want to stop eating these their that good.

Corn dog pork belly: i love pork belly so this was a no brainer it was so good if u loved fried food this is for u. Its so crispy not like how street vendor corndogs are i mean like really crispy. The pork belly was cooked nicely the fat was cooked off so it wasnt like all gelatinous( like for example when chicken skin is flabby thats what i mean) really seasoned good. The mustard sauce was so good it really enhances the flavor of the pork. The coleslaw on the side is very vinegary so it cuts through the richness of the dish and makes it taste better the only problem is if u eat the coleslaw by it self it has an off putting pickling spice i couldnt figure out what it was but there was a certain spice that made it a lil funky

Bbq flight: kobe brisket i made a vow after my last trip to county barbecue never to eat brisket again because its always bland and dry this was not the case!:) it was a lil dry not like omg i need a laser to cut it but like a lil bit. It was really flavorful really a high quality meet it was really good i wish they added the house seasoning on top of it for extra flavor and an added crunch but it was really good. There was no fat or sinu anywhere thank god!!! Really good flavor to it maybe just smoke it for longer for more of a smokey flavor

Pulled pork. I love pulled pork but i dont judge good barbecue based on that because it is really hard to fuck up but there have been times where people fucked up. It was really good. The pork was actually pulled not just shredded witch does make a difference in texture. There were parts that were really smokey( means looks black or burned thats just smoke) it had a really good flavor not to dry and no fat or sinu thats the worst in pulled pork when it has a bunch of fat or sinu that makes it so gross again wish they added the house seasoning on top of it for crunch and flavor

The chicken: i didnt really eat a lot of it cause i ordered alot and wanted to taste everything it wasnt dry it had a good smokey flavor to it alot of times chicken is really dry and bland this was not

Barbecue sauces: mustard i love mustard i think good barbecue needs mustard homemade though not some crap from the store. Wow was it good a lil sweet and tangy but really was one of the best mustards i ever had.
spicy barbecue sauce: i think its just the normal barbecue sauce with chili flakes. I liked the original plain one its sweet witch is really good not to sweet just i like spicy food. This sauce really does enhance the flavor of the meat i put it on everything even took it home in a to go container.Vinegar sauce: this wasnt really vinegary like i wanted it just a lil bit and a lil bit sweet for me this tasted the best on the ribs

Completion st luis ribs: omg the ribs are so good. There tender but not fall off the bone tender theres a good meaty chew which is the correct way to cook ribs. It had a saice on top so its either been glazed while it was smoking or on the top it was really good agains sweet but not to sweet. There cut for u! Thank u jesus! Just wish the top was crispy
Dessert was ok
Cornbread great but dry

• 

  Bill expensive but so worth it

  Bill expensive but so worth it
• 

  Espresso Brittle Ice Cream

  Espresso Brittle Ice Cream
• 

  Jalapeño corn bread

  Jalapeño corn bread
• See all photos from Michelangelo V. for Chicago Q

6/4/2015

I give Q 5 stars for the food and service. Ball the runners were so attentive to us that anything I asked was brought to me.  

Our server was in the twilight zone spaced out of his mind he forgot we got there.  At the end he sure remember to bring the check.

This is the best in ribs I ever had.  The alligator was my favorite dish from the menu.

The chile poblano corn bread was so amazing

• 

  Espresso Brittle ice cream

  Espresso Brittle ice cream
• 
• 

  Best barbecue

  Best barbecue
• See all photos from Gina V. for Chicago Q

8/1/2015 Updated review

We second meal her in 48 hours!  Daughter v, came to visit us for the weekend.  When she.saw my posted pics from the first meal, she said she wanted try Chicago Q with us. I cancelled reservations with Catch 35 for dinner that, made reservations with q. Then we ran over to catch 35 for lunch.

I need to correct the chef's name.. It is Lee Ann Whippen.

7/15/2015 Updated review

I really enjoy this restaurant and on my recent visit I had the following:

Brisket
Fried Green Tomatoes
Hush Puppies
Corn Bread
Chocolate Mousse Pie

Everything was delicious!  The brisket was meaty and flavorful, the tomatoes were savory, the hush puppies were just the right amount of rich sweetness and the corn bread was great in texture and flavor.  The mousse pie was alright...I just found it to be way too sweet.

This is a fantastic spot with incredible atmosphere.

5/7/2015

Kind of a mixed bag for me here. First time visit on a Tuesday night and found the place to be fairly busy but still lots of room upstairs. My cabbie hadn't heard of the place nor did the drivers of the other four in my party. Look for the white house on the block with a smallish lowercase q on the wall.

They had an impressive selection of local beers to choose from. We all picked our favs along with an appetizer of mac and cheese and fried green tomatoes. The mac and cheese was fabulous and well done. The tomatoes didn't do it for me but then again they are not among my favorites.

I went with the brisket as did others in the group. As a side I picked cornbread while others went with fries. My brisket was good but nothing to write home about. They provided four sauces on the table to augment it. I found the spicy sauce to pair the best. The cornbread was a huge chunk and very good.

Our server was awesome and cracked jokes with us all night long. Not sure why I'm not raving about q as others are here.

• 

  Beef brisket

  Beef brisket

5/19/2015

So many reviews, what can I really add?

For what it's worth, my favorite of the three eggs Benedict was the smoked chicken on sweet corn muffin. My eggs were a little overcooked on all three Benedicts, though. My least favorite was probably the pulled pork on fried green tomato - although it was still good.

We got reservations as we were showing up at 12 on a Sunday, which you would think is slammed. There were plenty of open tables, though - the house, and thus restaurant, is huge. Wouldn't hurt to get rezzies but probably not needed.

• 

  Yum.

  Yum.

4/29/2015

Chicago Q is amazing!

A hidden gem! You would never know that this quaint, adorable white house in the middle of Chicago is actually the best barbecue around!

The service was fantastic. The place is a cross between being classy and casual. Our waiter was fantastic and other waiters/busboys always helped clear the table or fill our water cups. Great service when they all work as a team.  

When you walk in you get the homey feel. One of the rooms is basically a dining room with just one big table for a part of 10 or so. Very cool!

As my meal I ordered the BBQ Flight appetizer  ($15). It came with plenty of food for a dinner meal for myself. It included 3 small portions - pulled chicken, kobe brisket, and pulled pork as well as cornbread on the side but I substituted that for coleslaw.

Coleslaw - did not have too much mayonnaise. Definitely my type of coleslaw and it was a huge portion.

Kobe Brisket - this was cut in cubes for the appetizer and was very tender, but also very fatty.

Pulled Chicken - pretty dry since they bring you the sauces on the side. Once it had some BBQ sauce on it, it was much better.

Pulled pork - good not great. Also a little drier because the sauce is on the side and not soaking in the meat.

What blew me away was the RIBS. My boyfriend ordered the ribs and shared some with me. They were absolutely amazing. So tender. Didn't fall right off the bone, but perfect came off as you ate it. These weren't even their "competition-style" ribs. Those I will HAVE to try next time. So good!

If you love BBQ, come to Q!

• 

  BBQ flight appetizer $15 (left: Kobe brisket, middle: pulled pork, right: pulled chicken, side: coleslaw)

  BBQ flight appetizer $15 (left: Kobe brisket, middle: pulled pork, right: pulled chicken, side: coleslaw)
• 

  Complimentary sweet pickles and homemade barbecue chips (awesome!)

  Complimentary sweet pickles and homemade barbecue chips (awesome!)

5/4/2015

*** D E L I C I O U S ***  I came to Chicago Q for their Kentucky Derby viewing event.  Instead of paying for the buffet and the 5 drinks for the Derby party upstairs, I stayed at the bar downstairs.  LOVE it!!  The service was great!  They were extremely busy due to the event or maybe it's just because it's a beautiful warm Saturday everyone's out.  There were 3 and sometimes more bartenders working constantly behind bar, but it didn't take them long to attend me and their other guests.  They were attentive and efficient.  Thumbs up for that.  

I wish I had the appetite for BBQ ribs and their other signature BBQ combination menu items, but I knew the portion would be too big for my appetite so I only ordered two starters, BBQ Shrimp with Grits and Pork Cheek.  They were DELICIOUS and flavorful!!!  The BBQ pickle complimented the pork cheek lusciously.  So did the BBQ shrimp and the grits.  

I tried their Hazelnut Old Fashion cocktail requesting extra easy on the syrup, it was not too sweet, slightly bitter, just how I love it.  Smelled really good as well.  

The place was vibrant and the interior décor is lovely.  Both the interior and the exterior have unique characteristics.  I would definitely go back again and bring family and friends.  Highly recommend.

• 

  Downstairs bar

  Downstairs bar
• 

  BBQ Shrimp & Grits

  BBQ Shrimp & Grits
• 

  Pork Cheek & BBQ pickle

  Pork Cheek & BBQ pickle
• See all photos from Gina W. for Chicago Q

7/28/2015

Came here after a very late flight because it was close to the place we were staying at. After being seated, they quickly brought out the pickles and chips. I liked the pickles, they were crunchy and a little sweet. The chips were a little stale though. Started with the pork cheeks which were delicious, but the portion was a lot smaller than expected. This was more of an appetizer for one. Then we had the shrimp brochettes. It was satisfying, but not all that special, so you can skip this and try something else. The interior is very dark and service could have been a little bit more attentive. There wasn't many people in the restaurant but it still took awhile to get water refills.

6/21/2015

A one-star ding because we were served the chocolate cake a la mode for dessert today and took one bite to realize this was cake that was at least two days old (or, maybe, a week).  But to the management's credit, my complaint allowed for that to be taken off the bill...otherwise, this was a mostly solid experience.

We came by for a Fathers' Day brunch this morning and tried a few different items--the sweet potato hash and eggs, the sweet potato and carrot cake pancakes, the biscuits and gravy with eggs, and the chips that are served before your meal comes out.  Save for some of the chips also being a bit stale, the main brunch items were excellent.  I also went with the small batch whiskey flight ($18), with three very heavy pours of selections that were by-and-large a winner.  Love the feel of the interior space; tables are tightly packed but not so packed that I felt like we were sitting with our next-door neighbors (but if possible, request a booth).  Service was speedy and responsive, including that moment with the dessert.

We dropped about $150 for our four-person party, where all of us had drinks.  Obviously, an expensive brunch so just know what you are getting into upon arrival (as in, if you don't realize that this is basically the Gold Coast, get your BBQ elsewhere!).  Glad to have this in my back pocket when I want quality BBQ with friends who live in this part of town.

3/11/2015

:( Heartbroken...
I had been wanting to come here for years.  I just kept forgetting about it with all the other restaurants that I wanted to try.  I love hole in the wall BBQ places, because you tend to get the real "BBQ's" there.  I had been told by many many people that this place was amazing.

Let me tell you something... I drove by this place about 15 times before I called and asked where it was.  This I drove by in about 10 more times till I found parking. No Valet? I couldn't find them. UGH!!!  This is not a well lit place, so if you don't live in the city, then you will probably need to CALL.

Okay, I got inside and I was super excited. The decor was nice and it was just a beautiful house.  I think it is an old house?? Not sure.  We were seated.. blah blah blah.  Our waiter was awesome!  That is mainly why there are stars, otherwise, nothing... They brought the pickles and the chips..ugh.  Okay, then I tried a hush puppy.. OMG it was so dry..ugh.  Then I order a pulled pork sandwich.. Now...Can you really go wrong with pulled pork?? Yes, apparently.  The sauces that they provided were horrible!  I was very disappointed in the North Carolina sauce.  I know North Carolina sauce, and it was nothing like that. *SAD FACE*  I was so bummed.  The only thing that was good on the plate was the Cole Slaw... at least I could eat that.  If it wasn't for our waiter and the cole slaw, I would have to give zero stars.  I think my expectations were too high.  :(

• 

  Hush puppy!

  Hush puppy!
• 

  Pulled pork

  Pulled pork
• 

  Yum!

  Yum!

7/26/2015

I may be a customer service freak, it makes me feel good spending my money when I get great service. Walking into Chicago Q started out a little shaky. We used our regular Open Table app and made a reservation. The wife and I  walked in and tow young ladies working the hostess stand were very polite until a man walked up and both completely diverted their attention from us to him. I reminded her to finished with our conversation prior to helping the next customer. We were seated and the secondary hostess apologized for her co-host behavior. The rest of the service at the restaurant was outstanding.

The pickles and chips were brought out immediately. We ordered the chicken wings as an appetizer, they were smokey and put together very well. The ribs ordered for dinner were smokey and cooked within minutes of being over cooked. The slab was meaty and not a lot of fat. Just a tag bit on the dry side but still tasty overall. I anticipated the coleslaw, and believe it or not KFC still has the best coleslaw. This wasn't chopped us as fine as KFC but had a similar flavor.

Seeing that I travel the world for barbeques it's hard to impress me with ribs. The menu has two offering and I suggest you try the competition ribs. The price point is almost double however the waiter explained the process for preparing the ribs is more detailed, the meat is hand picked and cooked slightly different. Traditional ribs are almost half the price than competition but hopefully the competition is better. Yes, they're offering two levels of food, they're not offering you their best and not afraid to tell you. If you want the best product pay additional for it.

In summary Chicago Q is a nice yuppie barbeque house, you can get the same quality traditional style  ribs at Smokey Bones. If you want the high end ambiance Chicago Q is your spot.

7/21/2015

So.freakin.good. Fried green tomatoes? Eew, right? Wrong! You must try them! Along with just about everything else on the menu!

BBQ chips can be hit or miss, but these were delish. The cornbread was a slice of sweet southern comfort.

Also, great service! I really love that.

There are so many amazing restaurants in Chicago, but make sure this is at the top of your list!

8/12/2015

This is hands down my current favorite restaurant in Chicago. We loved the shrimp and grits, the cornbread side, and the peanut butter pie dessert especially. Cannot go wrong with anything on the menu! Our server, Wes, was fantastic!

7/21/2015

Q was delicious! A great spot for BBQ. They start you off with complimentary bbq chips, which I proceeded to eat 3 bowls of. Very addicting. I had their St Louis style ribs, and could not get enough of them. I ate them with a fork because the meat literally fell off the bone.  I also ate the Mac and cheese, not my favorite but still hard to go wrong. I'd like to go back and try a few other options....

BBQ chips 4.5 stars
Ribs 5 stars
Mac and cheese 3.5 stars

7/5/2015

If it's edible, pour barbecue and commence consumption. Quality, service, and character. Don't forget the incredible
Taste. 2 thumbs up.

• 

  "Country roads, take me home"

  "Country roads, take me home"

6/1/2015 Updated review

After a few visits...I realized that I was never quite as impressed as I was since my first visit. Sad. I still think this place is decent but the meat is a hit or miss...sometimes it's dry. And the staff can be pretty forgetful as well.

6/17/2015

Stopped into Chicago Q after walking around Wells Street Art Festival and it satisfied my craving for barbecue. We sat out in the patio despite the scorching sun because heck, it's summer and we have to make the most out of patio season.

I've only been here once, but I think I can confidently say that this is now one of my favorite BBQ places in Chicago. The complimentary barbecue chips and pickles? Thank you! Although the chips did seem a bit stale, that didn't stop me from eating them.

Of course I got the pulled pork sandwich, and it was served with 4 BBQ sauces. I tend to always reach for the spicy one because I think it enhances the flavor the most if that makes any sense- but they were all equally tasty. I also got watermelon feta salad on the side, and even if it probably made me full faster, it was nice having something sweet and fresh with the meal. Add to this the unique building, the location (I couldn't help but constantly look around), really good service, and OK prices, I'll come back when I'm back in the area!

• 

  Pulled Pork - Watermelon Feta Salad

  Pulled Pork - Watermelon Feta Salad

5/23/2015

The best fucking rib EVER!
And our waiter Seth he is the sweetest, coolest and awesomest! Oh and Eric is a sweetheart!
Very professional very friendly service

7/9/2015

I love BBQ, and Chicago Q has won a spot in my heart for having some great BBQ choices.
Their are many choices for appetizers, we stuck with the fried green tomatoes, delicious! Then for our entrée we had a half smoked chicken and the Kobe sliced brisket. I am a Jewish gal and brisket I take seriously since my grandmother and mother always made brisket and there were never any leftovers. Their brisket though is so juicy and sinks into your pallet that. They smoke it the right way that gives it the great flavor you taste. The chicken was great as well but the Brisket really left a mark on me to come back to this place.
The service is wonderful and the venue on the inside gave the feel of a relaxed country home, which made it a great environment to eat with our family.
Highly recommend this place!

8/11/2015

Let me first start out with a confession. I am a BBQ junkie and most likely a BBQ snob. They say admission is the first step to recovery so there you have it! Lee Ann Whippen, partner and chef at Chicago Q, is a frequent contestant in competition BBQ events and also appears often on TV in competitions as well.  That was one of my guiding lights to try their BBQ. The restaurant is just beautiful.It is located in the trendy Division / Clark neighborhood and is in a quint old home that is restored beautifully. It's only a block or two from the Red Line station. The interior is definitely  high end stuff with a lot of modern traits that really do not in anyway scream BBQ here but really very nice just the same. Our table was ready on arrival and the service was excellent So what you ask is with only three stars? Unfortunately ...it was the BBQ.  We began with brisket meatballs that were VERY good. Interesting twist on a BBQ classic protein. So...I am here to rate the BBQ and ribs are a must.  They offer two types and styles. St Louis and baby backs can be prepared "standard" and "competition" style. I went for the ST Louis competition and my wife chose the regular ST Louis. style. Four side sauces are served (appreciate it when they side serve...i had hope of really good Q then ) and the varieties worked from vinegar based, a mustard style, spicy and a more traditional type. Ribs are served sliced (thank you) so ease of eating without public ridicule was possible. But... My ribs were not "great" as a matter of fact many backyard BBQ afternoons feature better. Ribs lacked flavor and REALLY suffered from a lack of smoke flavor.. I looked for the red badge of BBQ, the smoke ring, and very faintly, if i looked close enough  it might have been there..ehhh maybe not. So undaunted my wife and i swapped ribs. One supposed regular and one competition. Neither of us (and my BBQ pallet is pretty refined) could tell the difference. We paid 2.50 extra to sub the Mac N' Cheese side dish but it was dry and pretty flavorless. . I was heartbroken. After sitting awhile nursing a glass of wine, lamenting my restaurant choice, I looked around the dining room to see who was there. It was busy. Then I realized what went wrong. This was not a BBQ crowd, it was a dine out crowd. I'll l assume they "gentrify" the BBQ to appeal to the masses rather BBQ aficionados. I get that. Most of us won't dress up and pay a premium for well served BBQ so they have to hold down the real flavors to appeal to their clientele. Well ,.... That is what i surmised at least.  i certainly hope it wasn't just bad BBQ  ...please Lee Ann  ...tell me it ain't so!

4/27/2015

This is one of my favorite brunch places in Chicago! Make sure to make a reservation in advance if you want to come here. It's very simple to make a reservation and earn points on Open Table. Once you're seated, you are served a bowl of homemade pickles and bbq chips. The bbq chips are super addicting.

You MUST order the signature carrot cake pancakes and the smoked chicken eggs benedict. The signature carrot cake pancake melts in your mouth. Not only is it super light and fluffy, it's absolutely delicious. The best part of the smoked chicken eggs benedict is that it's served on a piece of homemade cornbread.

The Mimosa Special is a great deal for a group of people. It serves up to 6 guests for only $25. however, the bloody mary bar sounds wonderful too.

One of the best things about this restaurant is that you get to try all of their bbq sauces with any bbq order. If you're really in love with a particular sauce, you can buy a bottle on your way out.

TIP: Don't get the brisket! It's dry and bland. This is NOT the best bbq place in Chicago. Stick with my suggestions above.

5/11/2015

Went there around 2:30 pm, so it's quite empty there. The waiters are attentive except that they forgot to place our order so we waited a long time....

Food tastes yummy. The pulled pork is soft while the ribs are solid but easy to chew. Moreover, the complimentary chips and pickles are unique and tasty as well!

• 

  Lunch combo: pulled pork and back (?) ribs with corned bread and buttermilk meshed ptatoes

  Lunch combo: pulled pork and back (?) ribs with corned bread and buttermilk meshed ptatoes

8/4/2015

This is a great place to eat some tasty bbq. The meat was all top quality and well prepped. The waiter was great too.

6/13/2015

Chicago Q has become one of my favorite restaurants in the city!
I've been here for brunch and dinner several times and have always left a satisfied diner.
Brisket and cornbread have always featured in my orders whatever meal I've been there for. The meat is delicious, tender and succulent and pair so fantastically with the barbecue sauces they are served with. The cornbread... ah! You can see and taste real corn kernels! Try not to fill up on the chips and relish served in lieu of bread, because the meal you are about to have requires great attention and your palette will thank you for it. Sweet potato pancakes and the watermelon feta salad a perfect add ons to brunch.
They even have a great selection of desserts - espresso brittle ice cream and chocolate cake are my favorites. Their drinks menu caters to all tastes and ages.
The staff is great, very polite and attentive! Love this place!

7/4/2015

Had a chance to check out Chicago q while in town for work and based on Ray Lampe's recommendation (bit.ly/1Rzu6Cw) for First We Feast I was excited. Boy was Lampe wrong. The food was hammered, had zero smoke flavor or flavor of any other kind for that matter. The wagyu ribs had no meat on them at all. The wagyu brisket was grainy, no moisture (how can you screw up a wagyu brisket?!) and I shutter to think what competition the "competition" St Louis ribs won. Maybe best ribs served in a college dorm mess hall?

• 

  Hammered brisket and meatless ribs.

  Hammered brisket and meatless ribs.

7/25/2015

This place checks all the boxes. Having recently relocated to Chicago from the South, I was starving for some legit 'que.  I had the q2 which included pulled pork shoulder and a half slab of baby back ribs.  Rib meat was exceptionally tender and tasty. The pulled pork was a perfect balance of inner and outer meat.  You get 4 amazing sauces to sample on your meat. I chose the cole slaw side and was happy with my choice.  The slaw was a huge helping and was just creamy and sweet enough to complement the BBQ. I could have made a meal of the homemade BBQ chips and sweet pickles brought to me when I was seated. Topping it off was highly attentive and friendly servers that made for an awesome dinner experience.  I cannot wait to return and sample more of the menu and, just maybe, leave some room for dessert.

7/13/2015

Rode by on the bikes and it looked cute, so we dropped in for lunch.
Great food, great service, friendly and professional wait staff.
Also, good wine list.

A bit of fine yet casual dining on Dearborn. Stop by, you'll be glad you did.

11/8/2014

This place is known for BBQ. As soon as you see the place you are filled with doubt since it is fancy. Whose ever see a fancy BBQ place? Not I.

However, the food was still good. We went for brunch. We enjoyed the hush puppies to start. I guess they were good. I don't really understand a hush puppy. We shared the Benedict flight and Mac and cheese. The Mac and cheese is superb. Their Benedict flight was good but nothing spectacular. It was three Benedicts: one with smoke chicken, pulled pork and brisket. I will say this, they do a great job smoking their meat. The chicken and brisket was dry though. I can't imagine eating it on it's own. Their pulled pork was good though. Moist and smoky- best pulled pork I've eaten.

To start, they bring out homemade chips sprinkled with the dry run they use on their BBQ and homemade sweet pickles.

• 

  Homemade chips and sweet pickles. They bring it out to every table.

  Homemade chips and sweet pickles. They bring it out to every table.
• 

  Hush puppy.

  Hush puppy.
• 

  Benedict flight. Chicken, brisket, pulled pork.

  Benedict flight. Chicken, brisket, pulled pork.
• See all photos from Sarah V. for Chicago Q

5/31/2015

This would be a 4.5 star rating if Yelp allowed for such things...

Went to Chicago q for Sunday brunch with 3 friends at noon. You would think it'd be crazy busy but there were empty tables all over the place! You can make a reservation for brunch, which is quite rare in the city, if that makes you feel more comfortable. The building itself is really cool and quite different from most Chicago restaurants, very spacious. Our server was very nice, checked in on us several times throughout our meal and the busboys were on point with water refills and clearing dishes.

I ordered the benedict flight which was really good! Great way to try all 3 benedicts and get some brisket, pork and chicken. I liked the chicken and pork ones the best. I also tried my friends carrot cake pancakes which were quite good as well. The glaze they put on them in particular is delicious. They also bring you chips and pickles right when you get seated which is a nice touch!

The only thing holding me back from a full 5 star rating is price. Compared to a lot of brunch places it's pretty expensive, which is somewhat understandable given the dishes that come with pork, brisket, etc... You do get a lot of food with the benedicts, which is nice. Since this place is in Gold Coast, most of the locals probably don't care about price anyway.

Overall, great brunch place! No doubt about it. Would love to come back for dinner some time too!

9/6/2014 Updated review

I should have been updated this review because I have been several times since my first visit. On my visit yesterday I can for there 4 meals for $4 a piece for there 4 year anniversary.

I absolutely loved the lobster tacos! So much flavor and the alligator portion on the taco was decent. I also enjoyed the corn squash fritters. Crispy on the outside and mushy goodness on the inside.

I mistakenly ordered the bourbon drink with cookies for dessert and I was disappointed with the dry tasteless cookies. Bourbon shake was on point though. I will be back! :)

• 

  Corn squash fritters

  Corn squash fritters
• 

  Alligator tacos had great flavor

  Alligator tacos had great flavor

2/25/2015

Really enjoyed the pickles and BBQ chips as complementary offerings at the table. Very nice touch. They have a very strong drink menu and a huge whiskey/bourbon list which I can't really comment on because that's not my thing at all. But it seemed quite impressive.

The BBQ is where you will find me. I had the pulled pork sandwich. Pork was nice and juicy. Sandwich was a little messy. Not sure I was on board with the pretzel bun for the sandwich though. I would change that. The side of cornbread was really good too and they give you a nice chunk.

As with most BBQ places this is a little pricey but I enjoyed it quite a lot and given the urge striking me for BBQ when I find myself on the north side, would definitely think of this place.

7/7/2015

Best places I've ever had a folk shoulder barbecue the main chef provided competition ribs on the house for our group and she was fantastic.

Hands down the best I've ever tasted in my life.

3/4/2015 Updated review

I really like the atmosphere and the food is pretty good, but feel like they need to work on their beer and wine list. Their whiskey/scotch/bourbon list is great though. Also, the service was just meh.

My favorite part is that they give you pickles and chips when you sit down. That's a really nice touch. :)

5/12/2015

Everything on the menu is delicious. The baby back ribs fall off the bone they're so tender. The sides are delicious. Come with a group so you can try more things! Family style is where its at.

• 

  Absolutely amazing everything. We had a party of 10 so we ordered one of everything- it was all wonderful.

  Absolutely amazing everything. We had a party of 10 so we ordered one of everything- it was all wonderful.

6/28/2015

tl;dr: The 2-star review feels ungenerous, but "meh, I've experienced better" truly hits the nail on the head.  The seasoning just wasn't there.

Disclaimer: I grew up regularly eating 'que and my boyfriend is from Kansas City.  That might help you frame our expectations for barbecue.

I'll start with the food.

What they did right:
You could definitely tell right away that the base material was quality.  These were the right cuts of meat and cooked to the correct consistency.  We ordered brisket and it came to table fork-tender.  We also ordered pulled pork and it wasn't soggy or swimming in a sea of grease.  But there was a big-ol' piece of delicious fat still attached to some pieces, letting you know that extra flavor was right there.  Also, big pieces of burnt ends in the mac and cheese, should you choose that option.

What they did wrong:
The seasoning.  On everything.  From the starter bowls of homemade bbq-seasoned potato chips and pickles, respectively, to the watermelon-feta salad and the mac and cheese.  It's as if they didn't want to offend with too much spice so they erred on the side of NOTHING AT ALL.  It was bland, and it made me very sad because I wanted to like this place.

They offered 4 different sauces to choose from for the barbecue including: a vinegar-based sauce, a carolina mustard sauce (my favorite), spicy bbq, and sweet bbq.  The sauces were decent.  I ended up mixing the mustard and spicy to end up with a passable flavor experience for my pulled pork.  

Now for the service:

What they did right:
Maybe it was a busy Saturday night, but the manager, attired with blazer over his plaid shirt, poured our water and checked on us during our meal.  One stellar server--not ours--came by and actually interacted with us and helped out even though we hadn't asked her to.  She really sensed our need.

What they did wrong:
Honestly, our server wasn't too great.  He never checked on us during the meal or interacted much. We felt like we were waiting awhile for him to come out at the key points, i.e. to take orders, clear table, and bring the check.  

You get better bbq bang for your buck at a cheaper joint, and the Q will taste better.  This is definitely not worth the hype.

2/4/2015

"They call her Barbie Q," the waiter said gesturing over to the lovely Lee Ann Whippen, hustling around the kitchen. Clearly working well because our meals were *delicious*. More on that later, because I want to get back to that waiter. The pun was actually good-- we like puns. What we don't like is poor service. We like "pour" service, and sadly, our drinks were not replenished much. Sideways of saying service was not at all attentive. They left money on the table because we would have been down with at least 2 more bottles of wine (there were 4 of us) and dessert.

But I don't want to end this review on a sour note because the food is soooo delicious that it actually compensates for the service. This is not a BBQ dripping in sauces. It is a dry rub and juicy cuts. Omg-- I'm drooling just thinking about it. Like Brisket? I lived in Texas for a year and never since had brisket as good-- until Q.

The decor is also fabulous-- feels kinda like a cottage in New England you wish you could afford. That's my way of saying it's very nice.

We'll definitely be back-- perhaps not on a crazy busy Friday night. :)

This would be 5 stars if service weren't an issue.

1/16/2015

I'm not really big on smoked meats. If you'd ask me to compare pulled pork from two different places, I'd probably care more about the sauces. That being said, this is my review of a bbq place....

Came here with a group for a birthday and they gave us the front room which was really nice. Nice set up, nice room, A+ there.  I ended up getting the pulled pork sandwich while the gf got the slider trio. My pulled pork was pretty good. I was a little hungover at the time so all I did was pick at the meat and dip it into the sauce. I do like how they give you 4 sauces on the table and let you pick. My go to was the mild, but they also have hot, vinegar, and mustard. After an hour I decided to try and eat the sandwich, and by that time, all the grease fell onto the plate and the bottom fo the bun was drenched. Some people may like that, some may think it's too unhealthy. To each their own.

The gf's slider trio had the pulled pork, the brisket, and the chicken. They were all alright. Only bad part was that there was a little piece of foil in the chicken on that she almost ate. Luckily she spit it out, but that's still pretty gross. It was so small that we didn't even bring it up. Accidents happen.

For the sides we got cornbread and fries. I didn't really like the honey butter cornbread, but I did like my fries. They give you a really generous amount of them too so that's a plus. For drinks, a bottle of champagne for mimosas is about $25. They don't do bottomless here anymore so be aware of that.

1/18/2015

Food was ok-service was awful.

Visited this restaurant last night for a fun "girl's night out." Made reservations for 8:30 and were not seated until 9. To make up for our waiting, the hostess said our first round of drinks were on them. Very kind gesture.

House made chips were tasty. Hush puppies were ok. A little dry, but the dipping sauce helped with that and was good.

We all ordered the pulled pork sandwiches which were awesome!! The meat was tender and the BBQ sauces were yummy. The fries were awesome as well!

Now, here comes my bitch fest. Our waitress was no where to be found at the end of out meal. Andrea was her name. I know this because I just looked on my receipt because she screwed up our payments. Anyway, when she finally dropped our check off, she had charged us for our complementary round of drinks. No problem, we told her and 10 min later, she brought back our revised bill. No lie, 20 minutes later, we gave our payments to another waiter because she had yet to come back and take our credit cards/cash. We asked him if he could please put 22 dollars on each card. Andrea comes back, 10 minutes later, stating that she had put 32 dollars on each of our cards. At this point, we all thought we were on MTV Boiling Points....we asked her if she could fix her error and change it to 22. 15 minutes later, she finally brought us the corrected bill.

I just checked my account and it's on there for 32 dollars...seeing that fueled my rage filled Yelp review.

In total, we were there from 8:15 until 11 p.m.  20 minutes of that time was spent eating. The rest of it was waiting for our bill.

NEVER. AGAIN. I'll go to Famous Dave's if I'm in need of pulled pork.

2/24/2015

I have been a frequent patron to Q and each time, I leave happy and full. The food is excellent, the restaurant itself is very nice and the service is great. The kobe brisket is the way to go for meat lovers along with the pulled chicken. The sides are all delicious with the hush puppies and the honey cornbread really standing out.

To go along with all of the great menu options, you get complimentary chips and homemade pickles before your meal that are amazing. Definitely give this place a try, you will not be disappointed.

7/26/2015

I grew up in Kansas City and thought Calvin Trillin was right when he declared Arthur Bryant's restaurant to be the best bbq in the country.  It is incredible.

But the St. Louis style ribs my son and I had at Chicago Q were the best we have ever eaten and we have eaten ribs across the country.

We sat at the bar and the bartender was great.  The restaurant is incredibly well done and very cozy and comfortable.

We come to Chicago once a year for a 3-game Cubs series and while they played, well they played like the Cubs and lost all 3, but sitting in Wrigley Field and win or lose, great great fun.

But the discovery of Chicago Q on this trip was a real find.  Just the best damned ribs anywhere.  But in Kansas City, Arthur Bryant's restaurant it is.

5/26/2015

Best ribs of my life
Had the st louis competition ribs and the kobe beef brisket - beef brisket a bit dry but the ribs were DIVINE
We also loved the bbq chips and pickles that came free and were continuously resupplied throughout the evening
The bbq sauce and mustard are also divine - would buy for my own bbq sauce needs given the chance

7/23/2015

My daughter and son love it here!  Plus, it's a cute place for adults.  It's rare that we can find a restaurant that all of us enjoy.

1/5/2015

The chicken I had this evening was the best chicken I have had in my life. It was so, so tender. I cannot stress enough how great this chicken was.

We went to Chicago Q the night before Christmas Eve. My boyfriend ordered the steak, which was a little tough. Portions are appropriate. Not huge. We got the baked beans and coleslaw as sides, followed by two bourbon flights of three. I barely finished mine (I thought flights meant something along the lines of "bourbon mixed cocktails." I was wrong). To my surprise, the maitre'd stopped by our table to tell me it's OK to stop if the bourbon is too intense. She'd had the same experience before, and I thought that was a nice thing for her to do, especially since it meant she had taken notice of my situation while walking by to attend to other guests.

All in all, great service, comfortable ambiance, good food.

4/26/2015

This place lived up to my expectations, and that's saying something, since they were rather high. The pulled pork was delicious and went well with all four sauces they served us. I definitely recommend this restaurant.

• 

  I love what they did with the inside.

  I love what they did with the inside.
• 

  Four unique sauces. The spicy was great!

  Four unique sauces. The spicy was great!
• 

  Delicious

  Delicious

2/10/2015

So me and my friends decided to try Chicago Q since had so many reviews here on yelp. Place look very nice it was packed so right away you know that food will be good. We went for the Chicago restaurant week deal so we had appetizer, entree and desert for only $33.00 which was a very good deal. Service was outstanding and portion for the main entree was huge but to be honest we were not impressed with the food. I have been in other not that fancy BBQ restaurant in the city like Smoque and food taste way better. In overall it was just ok for me the taste of the food but like I mentioned portion and service was super

• 

  Carrot cake

  Carrot cake
• 

  Huge baby back ribs

  Huge baby back ribs
• 

  Bacon Hush puppies

  Bacon Hush puppies

6/1/2015

This place is divine. You know you loved it when you realize you never did a review of your experience when it happened two years ago.  

My husband had the BBQ flight and I thought he went to heaven when he was done.

As a vegetarian, I had the Smoked Corn & Black Bean Salad  and I still dream about it.

The cornbread is out of this world - all of them.  I LOVE THIS PLACE and wish they had one in Miami.

4/29/2015

I lived a block away from this fantastic BBQ Restaurant for three years and I miss it.  I grew up in Tennessee but have lived in Chicago for ten years.  I am no stranger to good (or bad) BBQ.  

I have never had a bad meal at Chicago Q, they have always impressed me. This was my default place to go belly up to the bar for a solid meal if I wanted to be casual and just get out of the house.  

The service is always top notch and the atmosphere has a relaxing southern charm to it.  Anything on the menu will be wonderful, but I highly recommend finding a reason to order the Bacon Cheddar Hushpuppies and Smoked Wings as an appetizer.  

I cannot say enough good things about Chicago Q.

6/15/2015

Such a great look from the outside to the inside ! Since it was a nice day we decided to eat outside . Loved everything we had , brisket were awesome, service was great! Looking forward to have a chance to come back soon.

• 
• 

  Pretty flowers on the outside section

  Pretty flowers on the outside section

5/8/2015

The pulled slider, wedge salad, and fried green tomatoes were amazing. They give you tasty pickles and chips to begin. The dessert was awesome and enormous. You must get the chocolate cake and espresso Carmel ice cream for dessert. I cannot wait to return. This place is perfect for the neighborhood, the area needs more places like this.

4/25/2015

Let's start by saying I was going to initially give the restaurant a 3 star but the last thing I saw prior to walking out of there did it for me.

Let's start by the seating arrangement, our table was so close next to the table next to us that honestly I had to struggle to get in and out and almost fell on the neighboring table!!

The appetizer we ordered was the dry rubbed chicken wings, which came out in less than 2 mins. Needless to say they were cold.  We told the waiter who took them away and apologized!! Not a good start.

The main course was ok, yes just ok. I ordered the brisket platter and my friend ordered the pulled chicken sandwich. Nothing to write about.

The entire time it seemed that they were in a rush to turn around tables. One of the hostesses (dressed in black) came around and was looking to see how long we and the table next to us had till we leave and was writing that on a paper. Our own waiter seemed always in a rush, he actually threw the check on the table instead of placing it and asking if there is anything else he can help with.

All that wasn't the it - the it or the last straw was this other waitress walking to get a wine glass, realizing that there is a stain or something on it, and rubbing that with her finger to clean it out, then placing the whole thing in a tray to serve to this other table!!! Seriously!!! Use your hands to clean!!

Long story short, I won't be back and no I do not recommend this place at all.

12/3/2014

So Chicago q is good.  Good but not great.  Let's start with the things done right.    The housemade chips and pickles that come complimentary are divine.  Go easy or you'll find yourself full.

Full bar with an amazing selection.  I'm a bourbon guy myself, so I was impressed and the waitresses and bartender know their stuff.

So there was a large group. We all ordered our own plates and then split some sides.

i had the pulled pork sandwich with cornbread.  You can get the cornbread sweet (with some sort of honey butter) or you can get it savory (poblano cheddar I think).  The cornbread was just ok.  It was a huge portion that resembled a piece of cake, however it was quite dry.  I suppose some folks like their cornbread dry and crumbly, I do not.  

The sandwich was solid, it came on a pretzel bun.  Can we pause here for a moment and acknowledge that maybe the pretzel bun is being overdone and doesn't belong on every sandwich?  I digress.  The bun was unimpressive. The pork however was absolutely tender and flavorful.  The bbq sauces (4 to choose from) were also very good.  This would have been better as just the pork minus the bun.

The sides:  

mac-n-cheese:  Nothing wrong, but nothing amazing

beans:  Pretty good

brussel sprouts:  I don't like brussel sprouts, but if i did, I'd imagine that these weren't bad.

potato salad:  don't just right.  Wasn't that nasty thing your secretary brings to the office party dripping with mayo.

Dessert:  I didn't have any (kill me, i'm on a diet), but everyone else raved about the chocolate mousse, pecan pie and the bourbon milkshake.  

I'm torn on how to review this one, but for the price (I didn't have to pay fortunately) I would expect to be blown away.  Instead I was just satisfied.  It's BBQ, how much can you really charge?

4/27/2015

Thought this would be pretty good and it exceeded my expectations. Classy atmosphere, great service, awesome food. This is a upscale twist on your favorite notes on barbecue.

• 

  So cute.

  So cute.
• 

  Hushpuppies with some incredible sauce.

  Hushpuppies with some incredible sauce.

1/21/2015

You don't come here because it has some awesome bbq. You come here to except a trendier restaurant that serves BBQ (not a shack or bistro with a smoker) . It's an "in between" place that makes me wonder if I should eat with my hands....but I still do anyway. It's a place to go to grab a beer and BBQ in Gold Coast style.

Service has always been hospitable. Very knowledgeable staff. They give you real hot towels to freshen you hands later.

I've been here at least 3 times. My favorite is the chopped brisket sandwich. The complimentary pickled cucumbers and chips are always welcomed. For someone who doesn't like coleslaw, I actually like their big portion of lightly dressed coleslaw (no mayo but little tang and mustard).  

They provide a variety of bbq sauces...can't remember if anything stood out. I prefer the sauces in other BBQ joints like Smoke Daddy more.

4/20/2015

Went there Saturday for brunch and I truly enjoyed it. Simply loved the bloody mary bar! And the pickles and chips were great. I had the shrimp and grits,  elote corn, and cornbread.  I was satisfied. Looking forward to going back again

• 

  Shrimp and grits

  Shrimp and grits
• 

  Elote corn

  Elote corn
• 

  Bloody Mary

  Bloody Mary

7/30/2015

I loved this restaurant! Sat on the patio on a warm summer day and felt really relaxed and comfortable. The complimentary chips and pickles were tasty, my bourbon peach tea was delicious, and I really enjoyed the Q burger. Good service too. Would definitely come back again!

6/14/2015

Solid food, upscale setting. You go here for the drinks, the atmosphere and the food is quite nice too. Get any of the whiskey cocktails if your'e ordering pork (pulled or ribs) and you'll be happy. Service is solid, sometimes can be a little awkward if you're waiting for a member of your party to arrive and are ready for a drink but good overall. Wooden floors and simple decor make for great people watching in a lively environment.

5/26/2015

Had a great dinner with family last weekend. Clean, not too loud inside. Instead of bread brought to the table, you get seasoned potato chips and bread&butter pickles. Be sure to enjoy those layered on top of each other, but don't eat too many! You'll want to save room for what's to come.
I ordered the pulled pork platter. It was great quality. Comes with a side, and I ordered the watermelon feta salad. This was the perfect pairing to balance out the heavy meat platter.
It's true the ribs are fantastic! Be sure to get the competition style if you are getting a full rack. They bring out all their sauces to the table, so you can try them all.
We ordered the poblano cornbread, vegetable skewers and mac&cheese as sides for the table. Only disappointment is that these sides are $6/$8 but are only big enough to share between two people at most.

7/11/2015

HORRIBLE SERVICE!!!! My experience became no experience!  In hopes of trying a new bbq restuarant my family and I (husband and toddler son) called Chicago Q to find out if they accept walk-ins and how long the wait would be.  We were told yes and there was currently no wait. We headed right over since we were in the area and when we check in we were told there was a 45 minute wait!! REALLY?  Why lie? Such a waste of my time!  And to make matters worse,  an apology was not offered.  If this is how they treat their customers,  there's no need for me to become one. First and last time....your lost!

5/25/2015

Great Food! Love the atmosphere. Southern charm. Fried green tomatoes are lightly breaded thick cut pieces. The vegetarian option was very filling and flavorful. The service was superb!

• 

  Vegetarian option.

  Vegetarian option.
• 

  Q3 pulled pork, brisket, and 1/2 rack of ribs

  Q3 pulled pork, brisket, and 1/2 rack of ribs